Floating structures may come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, depending on their function. Some floating structures, such as boats and ships, are self-propelled and thus capable of providing a means of transportation on water. Other floating structures such as floating docks, decks, platforms, rafts, landing crafts or the like, are generally not self-propelled, and are conceived to provide a static horizontal surface on which to carry out a wide variety of tasks or actions, depending on the type of structure. Many non-self-propelled floating structures are either inflatable, or are constructed from durable buoyant materials both of which are designed to support the weight of one or more individuals, heavy machinery or extreme loads, and to remain afloat. Such floating structures come in a variety of shapes, and sizes, and are generally used in recreational and utility activities such as swimming, boating, construction, repair or marine operations. Some floating structures comprise floating rafts or platforms that provide a base structure for swimmers to utilize. Still other floating structures comprise floating docks or decks that are fixedly positioned in one location on the surface of the water, and are used for walking upon, for water sports, or for securely attaching a boat or vessel in place.
Self-propelled floating structures are normally provided with a hull, which is a relatively complex watertight body designed to be arranged partially underwater and to render the structure hydrodynamic, stable, floatable and capable of sustaining a load. Static, non-self-propelled structures need not be as hydrodynamic but, instead, must be as stable and secure as possible to provide a safe environment for the person(s) standing or carrying out an activity on the structure, and for the load that is supported on the structure.
For instance, floating workstations are known in the art that are capable of providing a floating platform near a ship hull for a person to stand on and carry out repair, cleaning or other maintenance operations of the hull surface. Floating workstations are capable of easily changing positions relative to the vessel, allowing the person carrying out maintenance of the vessel to conveniently access and work on different zones of the hull, in comparison to carrying out the maintenance operations from a dock. Floating workstations of the sort must be as stable as possible to ensure safety of the persons and load supported on the workstation. In the event that such floating workstations are not adequately stable, inappropriate movement of the load or persons on the structure could cause the workstation to sway excessively, and even turn over, putting the person at risk of falling and suffering severe or fatal injuries, for instance in the event that the person impacts the ship hull, or marine structures, a seawall, hazardous waters or a hazardous sub-surface (seabed or riverbed).
In order to increase stability, some floating structures are provided with poles that are stuck into the underwater floor surface. While effective, such a solution is cumbersome to carry out, and requires the provision of lengthy and/or bulky hardware. In addition, it is not applicable when the floating structure is floating in deep waters.
The present invention seeks to provide a system for stabilizing a non-self-propelled floating structure, which is effective in preventing that the floating structure turns over relative to the water surface in both deep and shallow waters, and yet presents a reasonable cost that will allow the system to be successfully installed in a wide variety of non-self-propelled floating structures.